Kogane : Prophecy and Legacy
by Cubbie And Chris
Summary: This #KeithandAllura #fanfiction is based from Voltron Force Nicktoons "game-changer" episode "Crossed Signals" where Commander Keith Kogane and Princess Allura discover Keith's Arusian heritage / / latest uploaded CHAPTER 8 includes light-hearted conversation over pizza w/ whole Voltron Force team AND fluffy KA ;)
1. Prologue

**PROLOGUE**

She was six years old and he was eleven when both of their parents died tragically.

Dazed and confused, they were now with their appointed guardians. Everything had happened so fast. Yesterday, they were happily chatting with their parents. Today, they were simply not there.

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She was kept hidden and well-guarded. She was the sole heir to the royal throne of Arus. Her appointed guardian was tasked to keep her safe and alive to later fulfill a prophecy and to raise the heavily bombarded planet back to its former glory.  
So many expectations placed on the shoulders of a mere six-year-old girl.  
She could hear muffled explosions. In a heavily fortified bomb shelter deep underground, within a labyrinth of caves, bathed in the amber glow of emergency lights, the young Crown Princess Allura quietly clung to her porcelain doll and drifted into an exhausted sleep.

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He was seated in a private jet en route to Asia. All he heard were the muffled voices of his heavily armed escorts and two bodyguards, who had whisked him away from the middle of his morning classes in an exclusive international school.

His Dad was a "consultant", a rather vague-sounding description for an eleven-year-old boy, something beyond his understanding, and he simply shrugged it off. His dad was often away on business, but when he was around, their house would light up with enthusiastic energy.

His Mum was a part-time language teacher who made sure that her son was proficient in at least four languages. His Mum's American accent belied her Japanese heritage, and her crisp British accent was impressive as well.  
Mum made sure he was well-versed in the land of her birth. She taught him how to read and write in kanji, hiragana & katakana at an early age. She also made sure he could also understand basic Mandarin. Mum had many talents apart from teaching, and she was especially gifted at preparing Japanese dishes. She made sure he could make a good onigiri by age five, and roll up a fine sushi roll by age eight. And every summer his Mum made sure he spent time with his uncle in Japan for kendo lessons.

Being an only child, his imagination sent him places. Sometimes he thought he was a spy kid, raised by parents who were secret agents, or superheroes. He imagined his mum was a ninja and his dad wielded a magical blazing broadsword.

His mind drifted back to where he was now, reclining in a fine plush leather seat alone in a private jet. He had just finished his in-flight dinner. The flight attendant offered him game consoles & kid's movies to pass the time. He quietly shook his head and simply pulled out his favourite sketch book and began drawing his favourite doodles of flying robot lions.  
They would be in Tokyo in five hours, and he soon drifted into an exhausted sleep.

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Grimly, he set the phone down with a dark look on his face. His wife was beside him, holding his hand. "It has begun," he said to her in a solemn voice. She simply nodded.  
He had just gotten word from Galaxy Alliance Intel, a fully verified report that the entire royal house of Arus had been massacred.  
The official statement said that no one had survived, but he had an encrypted document that accompanied the report, of which only a select few were aware: She was safe.

Now, it was their task to keep _him_ safe.

Further intel revealed that the boy's parents had been killed by hired assassins. It had happened on the same day her parents were massacred.

They needed to make him disappear and to keep the trail cold for as long as they could. And what better place to hide than one of the busiest and most densely populated cities on the planet?

They drove quickly to the airport.

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His Mum had instructions for him if anything happened to them. He was instructed not to speak in English. He had to use his Japanese name and his mother's surname. Not Keith, and especially not Kogane. He had to follow these instructions to the letter - his very life depended on it.

The private jet came to a standstill on an isolated stretch of tarmac in Tokyo's International Airport. The doors opened, and he walked down to meet a welcoming two pairs of arms.

"Welcome home, Akira. "

This was to be his home for the next few years, and he would be known as Akira Himura.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Anger, hurt and annoyance swirled through his head as he tried to make sense of the revelation that he was Arusian. _His family was from Arus._ Why didn't anyone tell him before? And why was it kept a secret from him all these years?

"It doesn't make any sense..." He felt lost and confused as he racked his brain, trying to recall past events, distant memories that could have shown an indication of his hidden heritage. He sat heavily on the side of his bed and hunched over, his head in his hands. He let out a deep sigh.

His lineage showed that he wasn't just any Arusian. His great-grandfather was a Knight of Arus, a highly decorated and respected commander of the Arusian space fleet, pilot of Black Lion and the leader of the Voltron Force, more than a century ago.

The noble bloodline of the Black Lion pilots ran thick in his veins.

_It can't be._ He shook his head as he continued to ponder what had occurred a few hours ago. They had just returned to the Castle of Lions. He had been extremely annoyed with Lance throughout this whole expedition. He had to suppress the urge to punch Lance in the face when he made that annoying jibe about the haunted Explorer ship. If Allura hadn't been there to calm him down, he might have decked Lance right in front of the team.

_Allura…  
What does she think about all this? All these years... _

Keith let out a deep sigh, and fell backward onto his bed. Cupping his hands behind his head, Keith stared at the darkened ceiling and slowly closed his eyes.

_Allura..._

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_Keith, an Arusian. My Keith!_ Her heart leapt with joy and she tried to suppress the happy tears that had welled up. Her Protector and Champion, her mentor, teacher, best friend and fiancé was Arusian.  
And not just any Arusian, but a Knight of Arus. _No wonder his bond with Black Lion felt far deeper than any of the others on the team! But knowing Keith, he isn't taking this new information lightly_. She shook her head, and with a furrowed brow she headed towards the castle's residential wing.

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He was back in Tokyo. He remembered being here just last year, for summer holidays. His private jet had just landed and Uncle Kensan and Aunt Kaoru hugged him tight as he stepped onto the tarmac. Dawn was about to break, and the fresh autumn air greeted his senses.

Immigration & customs had to clear him first. One of the bodyguards handed his identification papers over. Himura Akira, adopted son of Mr Himura Kensan and Himura Kaoru, residents and citizens of Japan.

Aunt Kaoru's hands were on his shoulders as she gently guided him towards the waiting black limousine a few metres away from the plane. Uncle Kensan was speaking quietly to one of his heavily armed bodyguards. So many weapons adorned their bodies, and they wore full body armour under their tactical vests. Were they some sort of Special Forces team? He saw them salute as if Uncle was ten feet tall. They looked at Uncle as if he was someone very important...

As he got in the limousine, he saw the windows were heavily tinted. Aunt Kaoru sat beside him, closing the armoured door with a heavy thud.

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He heard his door hiss open, interrupting his reverie. Instantly alert, he snapped his eyes wide open, but then the unmistakable sound of soft, graceful footsteps met his ears. Keith relaxed and closed his eyes again.

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It had been two years since the war broke out on her planet. Two years hidden in the caves, without seeing a single ray of sunlight. Were the two suns still visible in the sky or were they obscured by the thick black smoke of death and destruction? She didn't know. No one would tell her.

She heard more muffled voices as she stared at the rocky ceiling. By this time she could identify at least five hues of yellow rock, and could identify their geological age. It was all part of the continuing education that her guardian had ensured, despite their desperate situation.

Her room had slowly filled with books and items smuggled from up top. She wasn't yet allowed to roam around the caves. Her presence, her very identity, was kept secret, to protect her from potential Drule spies. She was still too young to be revealed to her people. The Prophecy distinctly specified that Voltron would be revived when she had come of age.

Under flickering amber light, the young eight-year-old found solace in books. Her mind would bring her to worlds beyond the caves, to lands where a lonely young girl tended a secret garden, where a boy wizard cast spells with his magic wand, and where little women danced and played together. Her smuggled books came from different places, and how they got to Arus no one could say. All she knew that each day there was a new book for her to read.

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The rocky walls spoke to her. Arus was sad. Her planet was mourning and the rocks sang a sorrowful song. The rocks echoed images of what they saw. They whispered of giant monsters that wandered the surface, destroying everything in their path.

She saw these horrible creatures in her dreams, terrorising her people. She tried to fight these monstrous beasts that roamed her beloved Arus. "Go Away! Leave us in peace!" she would shout as she fired arrows from her bow. Then the creatures would chase her. She would run as fast as she could, terrified that they might catch her, and then she would awaken, trembling in a cold sweat.  
Then, one night, in this horrible recurring dream, someone was actually running alongside her, a few metres to her left. It was an older boy who was also being chased by one of the ugly beasts. But when she turned to look again, the boy with the raven hair was gone.

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(To Be Continued…)


	3. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

She quietly slid into bed beside him. She didn't need to ask how he felt; she didn't need to say anything. It was all etched on his face. She just wanted to hold him and be there for him.

Silently, he edged closer to her. Keith wrapped one arm around Allura, curled up, and rested his head on her chest. She was his anchor.

"How did the explorer ship know?" Keith rhetorically asked as he closed his eyes.

Allura lovingly held Keith encircled in a warm embrace and listened quietly.

"My uncle hasn't called back yet. I need to hear it from him. Why didn't he tell me? All this time..." Keith muttered, his voice barely audible.

"He probably had his reasons," Allura softly answered as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"But still..." Keith began as he furrowed his brow, "Allura... I need to ask you... is there any possibility you may have known about this?" he asked in bewilderment.

"I wish I did Keith, but no, I had no idea either," came her solemn reply as she held him tighter. _We could've been married by now, probably had a few kids already... rather than having the longest wedding engagement in Arusian history. Does this change anything or… everything?_

Like Keith, she too longed for answers.

"Something important and mysterious is happening here. We could speak with the governor who kept the Arusian historic documents. Governor Mataso may be able to find something," Allura suggested. *****

"Hmm. I think need to speak with my uncle first." His voice was more relaxed and a bit drowsy. Keith suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion sweeping over him.

"Okay. First thing tomorrow, we'll call him again."

Was there any indication that she could've possibly have known? She suddenly remembered the tapestries. _I didn't know you were Arusian, but I did know you were to be mine._

They quietly drifted off to sleep, entwined in a tight embrace**.****

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There were supposedly three tapestry panels, but only one had been salvaged. It was rumoured to have been found yesterday among the ruins. ***************

She had turned twelve a few months ago and was to move in with other kids her age. They'd set up a makeshift school in a larger cave, and her guardian couldn't keep up with her inquisitiveness. She had a hunger for learning and knowledge, and was a bright and diligent student. Her intelligence was far beyond her age group, and she showed so much promise that she was included in a class of students two levels higher.

The tapestry panel now hung in their makeshift library. She vividly remembered the other two from memory, and this third one was her favourite. She hadn't seen it in ages, not since she was whisked away into the caves six years ago.

She had just finished her classes for the day and went to search for a book to read before retiring for the evening. Walking towards the tapestry, she caressed the coarse fabric and relished the woven tableau before her - a princess in a pink dress awaiting a knight atop a black lion. The knight had black hair.

She suddenly remembered the older boy in her recurring dream and wondered if he would appear again. She hadn't dreamt of him for a more than a year now, but it didn't stop her from daydreaming about him. She smiled, kissed her fingers, and touched them to the knight on the tapestry. "I will see you soon," she whispered, and departed for the mess hall to join the other students for dinner.

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The old ship had seen better days, and was on one final exploratory voyage before it was to be decommissioned. Its mission - to find the fifth energy planet that helped power the mighty Voltron, an honourable and fitting end to a storied operational history.

This mission would have been their legacy, one that future Arusian generations would remember. They had been so close to their goal, but then they were intercepted by a Drule armada.

_We need the Black Lion! Where is Lord Kogane? Why can't we reach Commander Kogane?_ Frantic officers of the Explorer tried desperately to reach the Voltron Force, especially the Black Lion pilot. They left a series of holographic messages throughout the ship in the hope that, should they fail in their quest, the messages would reach Commander Kogane.

"Hope this reaches you! Inter-ship communications have been disrupted. And without the Black Lion, the Drule attack has been too much for us!" One of the ship's officers left this message near the one of the airlocks.

"The Drules know the key…your destiny…" Another message left in the ship's galley.

"Commander Kogane, a distress signal has been sent to Voltron Force! If the Force arrives in time, we may complete our quest. And what we have sought may yet be ours, but only with the Black Lion can we… no… NOOOOOOO!" ********************

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His grandson was his last remaining heir, born only weeks before his parents and two older brothers were brutally murdered. How and why Kenneth had survived remained a mystery.

He tearfully cradled this tiny baby in his arms, concealed by the night. All he wanted to do now was to whisk the child to safety, away from home, far away from Arus.

His lineage needed to survive, to fulfil a prophecy.

He secured the baby carrier in Black Lion's cockpit and set the coordinates for Earth. The closer Kenneth was to the protection of the Galaxy Alliance, the greater his chances to fulfil his destiny.

Broken-hearted over the devastating events that had taken his family, Lord Kogane, the Knight of Arus, was on his last mission as pilot and commander of Voltron Force. He planned to retire quietly into obscurity, to monitor and protect his grandson from afar. It was his only way to ensure the future of Arusian generations.

However, all was not lost. He needed to hurry before they discovered her, his only daughter. She had eloped to Earth after falling in love with a Terran Intel officer soon after Arus had signed a treaty to become a member planet of the Galaxy Alliance.

Kenneth would be safe with her.

(TO BE CONTINUED...)

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**Author's Endnotes:**

***** Governor Mataso is an original character created by cubbieberry. Lord Mataso's role with regard to the Kogane Prophecy was explained in Fearess Part 1, Chapter 9 – Arun Codex

********** Allura and Keith entwined in an embrace was based from art from Cheetoy entitled "Hold Me" which can be found at cheetoy-dot-deviantart-dot-com and was used with permission from Cheetoy. Thank you Cheetoy! Also this K/A scene would make more sense when you read Fearless Part1's concluding chapter10 as well as soon-to-be-uploaded Fearless Part2 Thank you for your patience! :D

*************** The concept of the three-panelled tapestries was used with permission from KittyLynne from her Voltron KA fanfiction "Ray of Hope." Thank you KittyLynne!

********************The quoted discussion was lifted verbatim from the Voltron Force episode "Crossed Signals"  
(insert standard disclaimer clause that i don't own anything Voltron etc etc)

Thank you grammar police Chris and beta reader Prairie24 for helping me with this chapter :-)


	4. Chapter 3

*Waves hello from wintry Melbourne, Australia*

After a month-long writing holiday / hiatus, we are finally back. We shall be uploading one chapter per week until this story is complete. We have decided to build the universe behind #KeithAndAllura 's ancestral past first, as this story will inter-weave / intertwine with Fearless Parts Two and Three.

The first few chapters will be relatively short as we cover some kind of snippet/s from #KeithAndAllura's past and their predecessors. Chapters will gradually get longer as the story progress.

We also want to forewarn that later chapters will be rating M as KPL leans more*cough* indulgent #KeithAndAllura fanfiction *giggles* *wink*

Hope you enjoy the journey with us as we write / weave / build a universe based on the Voltron Force Nicktoons (sans / less cadets) with just a touch of Panthera Force lore.

And insert standard disclaimer clause we don't Voltron, Voltron Force etc etc.

Without further ado,

**CHAPTER THREE**

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The commander of the Voltron Force was renowned for his patience, composure and level-headedness, but this morning none of those qualities were in evidence.

Throughout the early training manoeuvres, he barked orders to the cadets at the helm of three of the five lions while the senior pilots, holding backseat positions to guide their protégés, winced inwardly at Keith's short fuse.

Only Allura knew the true reason for his irritability. Keith had not yet heard back from his uncle about his Arusian heritage. She sympathized with his predicament, but at the moment she had important matters of her own to worry about.

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"Looks like the commander had his grumpy pants on again," complained Larmina to her aunt soon after training, as they headed to the main hall. "And you're not helping either," she smirked at Allura's persistent melancholy.

"I'm running late again," Allura said miserably.

"So you're late. They'll wait." Larmina scoffed.

"Larmina, the People's Forum is an important tradition…" Allura began, but Larmina cut her off in an exasperated manner, "…Where the even most humble citizen may seek assistance from the Royal Family. I know!" Larmina rolled her eyes, "but Voltron has kept you busy. It's not your fault."

"Whose fault is it, if not mine?" Allura replied, half to herself, before opening the massive double doors that led out to the main hall.

After welcoming the citizens in attendance, she had just started speaking with a farmer when Keith's voice came booming over the castle's paging system, "Allura, you're needed at Castle Control."

"Can't it wait?" she answered back with annoyance etched on her face.

"No, it's urgent," replied Keith's clipped tone.

She had no choice but to leave her people's needs unanswered again, but she was glad for a niece who could handle the People's Forum on her behalf.

Allura frowned as she entered Castle Control. "This had better be important, Keith."

He was on radar duty and had Castle Control to himself. Keith brought up a couple of holo-chairs and a desk. "You may want to sit down for this," Keith forewarned Allura.

The holo-screen lit up, crackling with static interference. "My sincerest apologies to you both, I couldn't call you sooner," Lord Himura began with an rueful tone. "I'm currently on a mission and getting a secure signal is not easy." The view screen flickered. "I need to see you though. I'll be done here by the end of the week. If you're keen to meet up back home, I have a few items to show you that belonged to your great grandfather."

"Uncle Ken, why didn't you or Aunt Kay tell me? Why wait all this time?" asked Keith.

"The prophecy forbade an early revelation. It specifically cited that your Arusian heritage be revealed to you at a time of its own choosing." The display wavered, then stabilized. "…Allura, you need to contact Governor Mataso straightaway. He will be expecting you both."

"So, Uncle, can you confirm I am Arusian?" Keith had to ask again.

"Yes. A full-blooded son of Arus," nodded Lord Himura.

"Even Mum, whom all this time I thought was Japanese, was actually Arusian too?" Keith asked with incredulity.

"Keith, all I can say right now is that you and Allura hold the key to Arus' future..." the signal started to crackle again.

"Lord Himura, I need to ask..." Allura interrupted, "Did my family know about this… about Keith's Arusian heritage?"

"Allura, you need to speak with your father's spirit. He has had information to give to you, but only when you were truly re..." the holo-screen fizzled with static and went blank.

Allura and Keith could only look at each other in silent confusion.

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She was a beautiful young lady. Once a gangly, awkward pre-teen, she had grown tall and graceful by age fifteen. Her long golden hair was unusual as well. Considered the result of an errant gene, Allura's silky cornflower tresses were apparently a genetic trait only carried by women of the Royal House of Arus, more specifically those born with empath abilities. The confident fifteen-year-old never took notice, and she simply believed that it was a normal thing. Everyone else in the caves had different hair colours. Black, brown, red, blue, green, purple, violet, white, aquamarine, and even turquoise were common natural hair colours among Arusians, but blonde hair like hers was rare. She would later find out that only her aunt Queen Orla had a similar hair colour.

Puberty had hit hard and the awkward ugly duckling had transformed into a beautiful young swan. Her advanced intellect and her polyglot skills were the first indication of her mental abilities. Her youthful body was ready to spread its wings. Her golden blonde hair shone like sunlight in the dark caverns. Her nanny used to braid her hair or pull it into a tight bun. However, today on her sixteenth birthday, she was allowed to let her hair down. Now cascading to just above her waist, her wavy golden tresses mesmerised the people with whom she shared this section of the caves. Her regal confidence and empathic smile appeared like a beacon of hope to those around her. She was the bright candle in the darkness.

Her appointed guardian knew that their time in the caves would soon be over. Reports had been coming in since last month that surface bombardment had grown sporadic. Word had reached the Arusian Advisor that the Drule empire had cast its avaricious eyes on other more lucrative planets. To the Drules, Arus was now a barren wasteland and no longer of significant interest to the Drule Supremacy.

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She dreamt of him again. There was no trace of fear left in his eyes. He was so much taller now. His sinewy muscles flexed tantalisingly as he ran. The swampy forest was more like an obstacle race now, rather than just running away from monsters.

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It was his last night before departure for his first command posting. He anticipated this with fervour and his team was assembled, all whom he knew from the Academy. They were a young band of misfits: too intelligent, too perfect to be forced into the mediocre mould of normal space missions. Their personalities catered to the unusual assignments that defied logic and reason. Their youthful energy, stamina, strength, and determination were a definite plus for this particular mission.

He finally drifted off to sleep, and the dream came to him again. The first thing he saw was a distant glimpse of bright blonde wavy hair moving between the grotesquely-shaped swamp trees.

_She's here!_ It seemed she was taller and older now as she gracefully sprinted across the swamp. _Probably late teens?_

Then suddenly, she stopped. In that very brief moment, they looked at each other. They were at least fifteen metres apart, too far for him to see her features. She held a bow at her side.

To his surprise, she suddenly nocked an arrow and aimed directly at him. His mind raced. _What is she thinking?_  
In a split second, she loosed the arrow and he saw it in slow motion, speeding towards him and missing his ear by mere centimetres. He then heard a sickening thud, and turned his head as a basketball-sized multi-eyed apelike creature fell off his shoulder with her arrow embedded in its chest. She had just saved him. He glanced back in her direction but she was gone. Out of nowhere, a sharp ringing sound blasted through his ears, rousing him.

He switched his alarm clock off. It was time.

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They were the children of war, scattered across the galaxy. Children of a planet about to be swallowed up by an impending invasion. The relentless expansion of the Drule Supremacy had brought it to their doorstep, and it was keen to include Arus amongst its tally of conquered worlds.

As the impending dread loomed in their sector of the galaxy, Arus, once the bastion of scholarly and scientific research and innovation, underwent a massive brain drain. The crème-de la crème of the intelligentsia appeared to have abandoned Arus, the impact of which rocked the planet back into its own stone age.

The Drule invasion could happen anytime: in the next month, or the next year, or tomorrow. No one could tell exactly when, but their parents knew the cost of inaction. These children were the offspring of highly influential Arusians: the wealthy, the members of the diplomatic corps, scientists, and intergalactic scholars. They were privileged enough to traverse the expanse of outer space. They had seen it first hand; the massive Drule armadas lurking far too close to the neutral zone of galactic demarcation between the Galaxy Alliance and planets who aligned themselves with the Drules.

Their parents' prescience, their sixth sense, enabled these children, the future generation of Arusians, to survive the onslaught and live to tell the tale. Their passed on their hopes to their children, that one day they would either return to their mother planet, or serve the Royal House of Arus once again from a distance.

Never could they have known that by leaving Arus, they would be the last of the remaining empaths. For when the encroachment occurred, empaths were hunted down relentlessly until the enemy made sure no one on the planet's surface had such abilities.

For now, they lay hidden amongst the populace of Alliance-friendly planets: assimilated into their adopted cultures with their new identities and aliases. One day Arus and Voltron would rise again, and when that time came, they would be ready.

(to be continued…)

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AUTHORS' END-NOTES

1) Most of the dialogue between Larmina and Allura in this chapter was lifted verbatim from Voltron Force episode "Roots of Evil"

2) This is to acknowledge the review of Marc Morell of Toonbarn episode "Crossed Signals" where he mentioned this episode as a 'game-changer' for the Voltron Force. Review of Mr Morrell is found at website of toonbarn-dot-com/voltron/voltron-force-crossed-sig nals-review/


	5. Chapter 4

[Would like to *cough*acknowledge KathDMD & WadeWells for the beginning format of acknowledging reviewers *grin* and we are towing the line as well like bknbu & Dreamtimedancer, and thank those who took the time to leave feedback ( heavens knows as a newbie in FFN, it takes an amount of gumption/courage from me *gulp* to leave a review too)]

We also want to acknowledge those who followed and fav'd our story: AHLondon, animemitress1, annependragon , bknbu, bluebaby1219, Bookworm213, CristyP , Dawnmist 11, Elizabeth2001, FroofyB, imhooked, Julie Horwitz , KiteTakesFlight2.0, petite0312, QiaWriter, Ringhuiniele, Rosalinda Lancaster Leonhart, Sara lovelymusic, ScarlettAngel1, SUZITROUBLE , Unbuckled & youknees.

Review Feedback:

_JustLucky05_ - Thank you for welcoming us back! We felt very welcomed seeing how high our stats were since 1st day of July (^o^)

_Guest_ – yes, Keith's elusive uncle has lots of secrets to reveal (cheeky grin)

_Amanda Ferguson_ – Very interesting the Panthera Force thing that WEP raised. This is the weblink to Voltron's Panthera Force (just cut-and-paste to your web browser) voltron-dot-com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/329103823/m/739 3996677

The fanfic universe we are weaving was based from a comment by other Voltron fans that the Voltron universe doesn't revolve around Keith and Allura. It was a ligh-bulb moment! What if it did? Then when we read about the Panthera Force + we have yet to see a fanfic about Keith as Arusian = plot bunny had hatched an egg! *giggles*

_KathDMD_ – G'day Dr K! I've heard somewhere that VF Nicktoons Keith is too grumpy. Is he really? Well, let's just say when the cameras stop rolling, he's totes different behind closed doors *wink*

_FroofyB_ – *Squeals* welcome back mum! Big hugs to you and miss9yo!

'Til next week's upload!

Insert standard disclaimer clause that we don't own Voltron etc etc.

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**CHAPTER FOUR**

Exhausted, the melancholic princess of Arus entered the catacomb of her late father, King Alfor.

"Father, yet another day has passed with my failure to address the needs of the Arusian people." She breathed a confused sigh. "I care deeply about this responsibility, yet my equally important duty to the Voltron Force…"

"…seems to pull you away." King Alfor finished his daughter's sentence. "It is an honour to bear both these responsibilities. However, perhaps it's time the people had a full time queen instead of a part-time princess."

"But I can't be queen as long as I'm a member of the Voltron Force." Allura could not believe her father had just suggested this role to her now, at this time. They had only just discovered that what lay behind Keith's Arusian heritage was every bit as important as Voltron's awakening.

She closed her eyes and dipped her head, recalling what had unfolded soon after their call to Keith's Uncle Ken had abruptly ended.

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"We were expecting your call, Your Royal Highness," Lord Mataso began as Allura and Keith contacted the governor from the Northern Province. "We have a sealed document for you, Commander Kogane, but it can only be opened with two of the Voltron lion keys," he stated matter-of-factly.

"I have Black's key with me. Which other key do we need?" Keith intently asked, growing tired of this labyrinth in which he'd found himself.

"You will need the Blue Lion's key as well," the governor replied. "It used to belong to your maternal grandfather."

Keith and Allura gaped with utter disbelief at the news.

"How fast can you get here to the Northern Province?" Mataso enquired.

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With their lions, it took Keith and Allura less than an hour and before long they were at Lord Mataso's doorstep.

Greeting his planet's young ruler and her protector, Lord Mataso spoke imploringly, "Before you say anything, Commander, the prophecy had strict instructions that it would be revealed to you in its own appointed time, as I'm sure your uncle has already told you." He led them to a high-security vault where he showed them a locked box with two oval indentations on its lid.

Keith immediately tried Black Lion's key in one of the slots, and it clicked effortlessly into place. It was a perfect fit. He traded a meaningful glance with Allura as she carefully inserted her key into the other indentation. She stepped back reflexively as the box suddenly lit up with iridescent light and the lid popped open.

They peered inside to find a data chip the same shape as their lion key, embossed with the emblem of the Knights of Arus. Instinctively, Keith inserted the data chip into his voltcom, and with a beam of blue light, the data chip projected a holo-book with a series of letters and transcriptions.

vvvvVvvvvVvvvv

King Alfor could not understand why he, the King of Arus, with all his scientific, scholarly and empath abilities, was unable to activate any of the five Voltron lions.

Black Lion rumbled a low, sad growl. The King understood what Black was trying to tell him, and he wordlessly nodded his head. If this was his fate, then so be it. King Alfor squared his shoulders and turned around. Summoning all the empaths that were left, they gathered all their remaining energies to shield her presence. The empaths had argued that if they sent their energies to protect the princess, they would not have enough left for their king. But, they all knew that it was not the king's destiny to waken the mighty robot lions, but that of his daughter.

They needed to keep her safe, for in her time Allura would be the instrument to help awaken the mighty Voltron. The King appointed his dear friend Coran to keep the little princess out of harm's way, no matter what happened to the royal family.

Alfor sensed the approaching rumble and heard the distant cries of the enemy at their gates. He entered the nursery where Allura lay fast asleep, blissfully unaware of the events that were unfurling all around her. Gently caressing his six-year-old daughter's cheek, Alfor spoke to her telepathically.

_Allura, my daughter, be strong. Upon your shoulders rests the fate of our people and our planet.  
May Arus protect you, my little one._

"Know that I love you, my child, and be safe," he whispered as he turned to go.

They were the last words he would ever utter to her with his living breath.

In his mighty lion armour, King Alfor and his last remaining knights strode to meet their foe, the largest assault force the Drules had ever unleashed on Arus, and on the blood-soaked fields surrounding the Castle of Lions they fought to their deaths.

vvvvVvvvvVvvvv

Born only months apart, Kenneth and his cousin Kensan were raised like fraternal twins. Growing up, these two cousins, affectionately called Ken1 and Ken2 in middle school, were inseparable.

Kensan, with his quiet (almost stealthy) demeanour, often moved around the campus unnoticed, overhearing many interesting snippets of information, and he was practically hard-wired into the campus grapevine.  
Kenneth, tall and strikingly handsome, was more taciturn and indifferent to the comings and goings of everyday life.

Outwardly, the two boys appeared to be polar opposites. However, these were only the masks they wore in public. Little anyone did anyone know they were a very different pair outside campus.

The sprawling ancestral home of the Himura clan was located in one of the busiest suburbs of Tokyo, but within its high walls was an oasis from the everyday chaos of the world outside. In their own private dojo, the two boys had been sharpening their advanced martial arts skills from a very early age. Kensan specialised in _kenjutsu_ - the art and method of the Japanese sword - while Kenneth perfected the use of the broadsword. The two Kens were privileged to have two master swordsmen in the family. Kensan's father, Lord Kentatsu Himura, when he was not busy off-planet with Intel missions, taught the ancient art of Japanese swordsmanship that was passed from one Himura generation to another. While Lord Akiro Kogane, grandfather to both boys, taught the Arusian broadsword. By the time Kenneth and Kensan were old enough to attend the Galaxy Alliance's Space Flight Academy, they had become a formidable pair.

During their final two years at the academy, the two Kens would spend the school breaks back at home as junior instructors. At the Himura dojo they assisted Lord Kentatsu , who had eventually retired from Intel, with his kendo lessons.  
It was at this time that Kensan's parents, Lord Kentatsu and his Arusian wife Saavi, transformed the ancestral compound's underground passageways into a covert processing centre for Arusian refugees, and legally adopted a few Arusian children as well.

vvvvVvvvvVvvvv

It had been many years since Lord Kogane had taken Black Lion and disappeared. Back on Arus, the other four Lion pilots were baffled that they could suddenly no longer activate their huge machines. It was as if the Lions themselves had one day decided that, without Black, they would simply stop working and ignore all input from their pilots.

The question hung in everyone's minds: Where were Lord Kogane and Black Lion now?

Then a day came that the pilot of Blue Lion, who was the youngest Lion pilot of their time, uprooted his family and departed Arus. The official story was that he was a top-level diplomatic envoy to various GA planets, but in reality he was on a special secret mission appointed by the Arusian Council of Empaths.

vvvvVvvvvVvvvv

As the only daughter of the last Blue Lion pilot, Mariel dared not question her parents, although while growing up she often wondered why they so often moved from one planet to another. By the time they eventually reached Earth, she was nearly seventeen years old.

Mariel was one of the new students at the Himura dojo. Her parents had eventually decided to settle on Earth. She was hoping that this time it would be permanent as she had grown weary of all the traveling she had experienced since she was a toddler.

Finally, it happened one summer. She was given a new name and identity. Her resettlement package stated her name was to be changed from Mariel to Maho, and she was to be the ward of Mr and Mrs Himura Kentatsu. Since she was a natural polyglot and loved cross-cultural interplanetary studies, she was to enrol in the coming school year for advanced classes at a nearby university.

Maho had just arrived at the Himura Estate yesterday, and was about to receive her first lesson in kendo that morning. A tall young man with red-black hair approached her. "So, you're my brand new sister this year?" His smile was warm and kind. "I'm your new brother Kensan," he said as he shook her hand. She replied in Japanese, "Domo arigato Kensan-kun," and bowed reverently.

"No need to be too formal, Maho." Kensan smiled again. "Oh, and I want you to meet my cousin…er… _our_ cousin," Kensan laughed.

"Kenneth! Over here!" Kensan waved at someone behind Maho. She turned to see a young man approaching, with raven black hair and piercing turquoise eyes.

"Kenneth, I want you to meet my new sister Maho," Kensan told his cousin. Turning to look at her, he continued, "Kenneth will be your kendo instructor this morning and he'll walk you through the basics."

Kenneth extended his hand. "Maho," he said simply. "Pick a practice sword." He motioned her to a nearby table where a number of _bokken_ had been laid out.

His voice was deep and rich, his eyes mesmerising. Maho nodded wordlessly and did as he instructed. She was also blushing furiously from head to toe.

vvvvVvvvvVvvvv

In a secure hangar at an undisclosed location, the top graduates of the Academy were queuing up to try to attain the coveted pilot's seat of Black Lion.

One by one, hopes were crushed and egos were wounded as each graduate was unable to bond with Black. One young man in particular was apoplectic with rage at being summarily rejected by Black Lion, and Kenneth shook his head as military police literally dragged the utterly furious new graduate Herbert Wade away.

His friends Kensan and Coran were equally unsuccessful, and it was now Kenneth's turn. Taking a deep breath, he nodded to his friends, and went up to the cockpit of the mighty Black Lion.

"I remember you, Black. Grandfather and I used to visit you, when I was still a little boy," Kenneth reverently spoke to the mystical metal beast.

Black quietly purred in recognition.

_Kogane, you have grown big now_. Kenneth heard and understood the lion-speak rumbling in his mind. The bloodline of Black Lion pilots ran thick in his veins.

_But, you are not HIM. You are not the Kogane I seek. Where is he? Is he not born yet, this cub of yours?_

"Who, Black? Who are you looking for?" Kenneth asked confusedly, wondering if robot lions had the same concept of time as their human pilots.

_Your son! Where is your son?_

"Black! What are you talking about? My son? I don't even have a girlfriend yet!" Kenneth laughed nervously. Black seemed to have a strange sense of humour.

_I am sorry, Kogane. It is not you. You are not my pilot.  
Tell your grandfather what I have told you. Goodbye, young Kogane. I wait for my pilot._

With a final booming roar, Black suddenly powered down. The mechanical hum and blinking cockpit lights unexpectedly ceased, making the abrupt silence seem louder still. Completely immobile and apparently lifeless, the robot lion turned to a stone-like state and the voice in Kenneth's head was gone.

vvvvVvvvvVvvvv

Suddenly feeling deflated and exhausted, especially after Kenneth had relayed Black Lion's message yesterday, Lord Akiro Kogane closed his eyes and cleared his mind. _It was not my grandson._ It was not yet the time of prophecy. After nearly twenty years, Lord Kogane suddenly decided it was time to return Black Lion back to Arus, while appointed cargo routes were still passable with an average amount of risk. Perhaps things would be different now that Arus had a new king. Alfor, a royal of several talents, was a well-known scholar who had the intelligence and a talent for both science and technology.

(To Be Continued)

* * *

End notes:

1) Dialogue between Princess Allura and King Alfor was lifted verbatim from Voltron Force Nicktoons episode 'Roots of Evil"


	6. Chapter 5

Authors' Notes:

Thank you to bknbu, KathDMD, JustLucky05, FroofyB, Lance4ever and Wade Wells for awesome reviews. Thank you too JustLucky05 and Lance4ever for following our fanfic.

This won't be an epic-sized #KeithAndAllura fanfiction btw, we're halfway in the story and we envision to finish by a manageable read of less than fifteen chapters *wink*

The backstories will eventually taper down/become less busy. The tone and focus of upcoming chapters will gradually shift, filling the gaps between episodes / #KeithAndAllura 's present and prediction of their future.

And with that, (Insert standard disclaimer clause we don't own Voltron etcetera etcetera)

We give you,

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**CHAPTER FIVE**

Allura paused at the door to Keith's private study. He had been in there since they got back four hours ago, poring over the holo-documents in the encrypted data chip they had received from the Arusian governor.

His empty seat at the dinner table had led to the team's curious questioning of Allura during the evening meal, to which she had simply replied, "He's got a lot on his mind right now," in a tone that brooked no further inquiries.

Carrying a tray of sandwiches, she let herself into the office and saw him leaning against the side of his desk, sifting through the holo-documents with a look of intense concentration on his face.

"Hey... I brought you something to eat," she said softly.

Keith looked up at her with a tired smile. "Thank you." He gestured to the couch, then took the tray from her and set it on the coffee table. It had been a busy day and they were still in their pilot uniforms.

"I spoke to my father just before dinner," Allura continued as she made herself comfortable.

"It's been a while since you spoke to him," Keith replied, sitting down heavily beside her. The last time Allura had sought King Alfor's help was when Black went rogue.

He absentmindedly took a steak sandwich from the tray and continued reading through the holo-documents. Allura fidgeted next to him, unsure of how to proceed with the conversation.

"I'm not going to ask…" she muttered under her breath.

"Ask what?" Keith looked at her, chewing on a mouthful of the steak sandwich.

Allura let out a big sigh. She did not know where to begin. Her relationship with Keith, the robot lions, Voltron and Arus… they were all intertwined and interconnected. Were she and Keith mere pawns in this mystical prophecy?  
As far as she knew, she was the first female royal to have the honour of flying one of Voltron's robot lions, and it was something she loved doing. Was she ready to let go of this task? Was she confident enough to pass the responsibility on to her niece?  
If Larmina was able to manage this morning's People Forum on her behalf, then perhaps she would be an equally capable pilot for Blue Lion?

This revelation of Keith's Arusian heritage could not have come at a more opportune time, coming to light so soon after Allura herself felt torn between her commitment to the Voltron Force and her royal duty to lead her people. Not to mention King Alfor's sudden suggestion that she ascend to the throne as queen. It could not be mere coincidence.

Was it because Keith was now more than capable to co-rule with her, and what they had postponed for years could now come to fruition?  
Or was it simply because it was time? She was twenty-six and he was thirty-one. Her heart longed for children with Keith; her biological clock was telling her it was time for the Royal House of Arus to have an heir.

Allura leaned back in the couch and closed her eyes. "Nothing, I'm just tired." _Why won't you ask me, Keith? Why won't you tell me?_

"Yeah, it's been a long day," Keith sighed as he finished his sandwich and poured two glasses of the juice that Allura had brought with the food. _ What's bothering her?_

Allura stood and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows. She absentmindedly gazed out at the night sky, but no stars were visible tonight. All she could see was Keith's reflection in the glass, engrossed with reading about his true heritage. Allura knew it was very important to Keith. _Perhaps now isn't the time to ask. But then again…_

"Why?" she asked, still looking at Keith's reflection and trying to gauge how he would reply.

"What?" He quickly glanced at her.

"Why won't you ask me?" She turned to face him, leaning against the window frame.

"Ask you what?" There was a slight twinge of annoyance in his voice.

"Tell me."

"Tell you, ask you… so which is it?" Brow knitted in concern, Keith turned the voltcom display off and strode to her. "What's wrong, Allura?" He wrapped his arms around her waist.

She rested her head on his shoulder. She needed this closeness with him, away from the eyes of everyone else. Ensconced in the privacy and comfort of their little world, without their masks of command or royalty, they were just two people in love… although lately that love had taken a backseat.

Had their roles been reversed, she would surely not hesitate to ask. Allura had always been straightforward with Keith, speaking her mind and sometimes butting heads with him in front of the team. However, this was one subject they had somehow managed to avoid discussing, despite it being the proverbial elephant in the room.

It was part and parcel of being betrothed to the ruler of a planet. A partnership in life and love with the Princess of Arus was also a partnership in co-ruling the planet as monarch.

"You're Arusian, a Royal Knight of Arus," she replied quietly.

It suddenly dawned on him what she had been trying to say. He sighed deeply and lifted her face to his, "Allura, look at me," His penetrating turquoise eyes gazed at her. "This doesn't change anything. I still need to keep you safe."

"I'm safe with you." Allura replied, "Keith, you've been home, we have Black and… you're Arusian…"

He placed a finger to her lips, "That still doesn't change the fact that I need to keep you and Arus safe."

Allura shook her head and stepped out of their embrace. "How has it come to this, that I need to make a choice between my responsibilities as member of the Voltron Force and as ruler of Arus?"

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I was hoping I could make that choice with you," she whispered, turning away from him.

_There. I said it. _

Keith clenched his fists in frustration. "Why did this prophecy not say anything about Lotor?" The mere mention of the evil Drule king made Keith's blood boil. "How the hell was it not prophesied he would be reanimated?"

"Tell me, how many times were you kidnapped since we got Black back?" Keith raked his hands through his unruly black hair. "No less than three times Allura. Three." Keith said heatedly. It was simply maddening to the Voltron Commander that to this day that his beloved princess was still in constant danger.

"I don't want to argue tonight, Keith." Her voice was soft, almost pleading.

"We're not arguing, Allura." Keith took a deep breath, then turned her around and clasped her hands in his. "I need you safe first. I want to give you a peaceful Arus before we think about settling down."

Allura pursed her lips.

"Look, just let me sort out this information we got today from the governor," Keith continued, touching his forehead to hers. "In less than a week, not only did we find out my whole family was from Arus, but now both sides of my family were a part of Voltron's history."

Keith raised his arm and switched on his voltcom. "I still have a fair bit to go with this." The holo-documents lit up again.

Allura nodded wordlessly and gave Keith a perfunctory kiss on his cheek. "And I still have paperwork to do tonight. I'll see you tomorrow at lion practice." She turned around and left Keith's office, the unresolved questions weighing heavily in her heart.

vvvvVvvvvVvvvv

Not long after graduating from the Academy, both Kenneth and Kensan were assigned to special covert missions under the Intel Branch of the Galaxy Alliance. The Drule armada were dangerously close to the outlying Allied planets, which kept everyone alert and on edge. This week, the two cousins were assigned to sort through special citizens from certain non-GA planets who were seeking political asylum. Though Kenneth was fluent in the languages of several GA-friendly planets, there were others with which he needed help translating, and fast. Time was of the essence. They needed to verify whether these individuals were genuine political refugees, and if they were persons of interest who were able to assist the GA in some important way. If so, top priority was given to their extraction.

Kenneth's team were told an additional team member had been assigned to them, an expert in interplanetary psycholinguistics. The dossier said she was the best in her field, yet the person who stood in front of Kenneth was probably his age, maybe a few years younger. Kenneth thought she looked vaguely familiar…

"Lieutenant Kogane, we've met." She shook his hand. "I was one of Lord Kentatsu Himura's first wards."

"I apologise, it has been awhile…" Kenneth suddenly found himself lost for words. "You look very different... Maho."

"Good different or bad different?" She smiled, her cerulean eyes locked on his.

"Good. Definitely good." Kenneth smiled back as they began discussing their new orders.

vvvvVvvvvVvvvv

"Grandfather, we're here. We came as fast as we could." Kenneth whispered as he sat on the chair beside the hospital bed.

Lord Akiro Kogane lay unmoving.

Kenneth moved closer and whispered again, "Grandfather, he's here."

"Please, grandfather… please say we are not too late," Maho said with misted eyes. She moved from the foot of the bed to where Kenneth sat.

"Here, let me hold him." Kenneth reached over to Maho and gently lifted their two-day-old son from her arms.

"Grandfather, your great-grandson is here to greet you." Kenneth moved his sleeping baby closer. "His name is Keith. Keith Akira Kogane."

Kenneth was nearly in tears. "Grandfather, he already has a full mop of black hair and has blue eyes like Maho." The baby stirred and softly made a stretching purring sound.

They heard a quiet sigh from Lord Kogane.

"Grandfather!" Maho gasped, her tears flowing relentlessly.

"Keith has just woken up and wants to say hi to great-grandfather." Kenneth forced a smile despite the tears unashamedly rolling down his cheeks.

"Ken…neth…" With a barely audible whisper, Lord Kogane stirred as he tried to lift his hand. Holding his newborn son in one arm, Kenneth took his grandfather's hand and gently squeezed it.

Maho stood beside her husband and laid her hand on Lord Kogane's arm as he wearily opened his eyes . He was to give his last benediction to the newest member of the family.

"Keep him safe…" Lord Kogane murmured. To their surprise, baby Keith grabbed the old man's finger, clutching it in a firm grip.

"…for Arus…" Lord Kogane said breathlessly as his eyes drifted shut for the last time.

He had lived long enough to see his descendant who would fulfil an important prophecy, one that would save their home planet from total annihilation.

vvvvVvvvvVvvvv

Reading through his parents' journals, Keith was suddenly taken aback to learn that his great-grandfather had lived long enough to wait for him. _How old was he then?_ He was in mid-thought, then the holo-screen came to life, showing a video recording. It began with two individuals clearing their throats.

"Happy Birthday, Keith! Happy 11th Birthday, son!" chirped Keith's parents from the screen, holding a birthday cake with all eleven candles lit. It was a recording they had made a few days before they died.

"We just dropped you off at school this morning," Maho began, "and since your dad's home, we wanted to make this last recording for the encrypted document you're now reading through." Keith's mum's eyes were twinkling and his dad was beaming as they put the birthday cake down off-camera.

"Keith, if you're watching this…it means the prophecy has finally been revealed to you at its chosen time." Kenneth said, "Your mother and I would like to apologise if we had to hide your Arusian ancestry. We did that because we wanted to keep you safe and alive…"

"…and because we love you very much" Maho added.

"Keith, there will be many dangers," Kenneth said with a warning tone. "You probably already know that by now. And you've probably gone through hell…"

"Don't scare our boy, dearest." Maho chimed.

"He won't be a boy by the time he watches this," retorted Kenneth, earning a quiet chuckle from Keith.

"Hush honey," Maho flippantly waved her hand and turned her winning smile back to the camera. "Say hi to Allura for us! I imagine she is right beside you now."

Keith groaned inwardly and ran his hands through his unruly black hair._ Oh, God. No, mum, I pushed my Allura away. Again... _

With beautiful blue imploring eyes, his mother continued "Allura dear, please forgive our stubborn son, Keith. He has this very protective nature just like his father."

Keith saw his dad put a protective arm around Maho and kiss her temple.

"In fact, Keith was very protective of you from the start, Allura," Maho said, pulling something from her pocket.

Keith's heart lurched as his mum held out a photograph.

"Allura, this was taken when you were three months old. The unruly-haired five year-old boy beside you is Keith." Maho paused with a grin. "And this…" she continued, holding up another photo, "…was a group picture taken the same day." It was a picture of the Kogane family and the Raimon Family. In the middle of the photo was little Keith holding the golden-haired baby princess Allura.

Then Kenneth spoke, "Your father visited Earth as a last personal attempt to persuade the Galaxy Alliance's top brass to send a fleet to stop the advance of the Drule Armada."

Maho and Kenneth held each other in an embrace, "Keith and Allura, all we really want to say is… enjoy every moment you are together. Life is short. Savour your togetherness. Because, despite all the challenges, all the different levels of hell you face, the only thing that matters is your love for one another," Maho said.

"Let it be your strength and let it shine true, because when you let your love shine bright, so will your future." Kenneth concluded.

"We love you. Happy Birthday, son." Kenneth gave Maho a tight hug. Maho, with her sweet smile and shining blue eyes, blew a kiss at her audience for the last time, then the holo screen went blank.

Keith sat unmoving, unable to believe what he'd just seen and heard. The minutes ticked by as he gathered his wits, trying to process what had just transpired.  
Then it hit him hard. He finally understood the enormity of what his predecessors had gone through to pave the way for him and Allura. He understood what he truly meant to her, and she to him.

For the first time in a long time, his veneer of stoic calm and impassivity began to fall away as the tears began to well up in his eyes.

He held his face in his hands, and for the first time in a long time, the Commander of the Voltron Force broke down and began to weep.

vvvvVvvvvVvvvv

End notes:

Unlike in the classic Voltron; Keith of Voltron Force Nicktoons version, never, not even once, shed a tear. Some K/A fans perceived he was too grumpy and always appeared angry with those thick brows. This is our attempt to break down that wall of self-preservation, and show that VF Keith could actually shed tears.


	7. Chapter 6

Authors' Notes:

Review Feedback

_bknbu_ – I ended up crying too when I finished writing that chapter. *shares box of tissues* Thank you for regularly leaving reviews

_Ringhuiniele_ – There is so much untapped story potential in the five-year search for Black! Several fanfic writers have attempted / are attempting to write those mysterious five years. Chris and I will just finish this story, then we'll complete the arc of our Voltron Force #KeithAndAllura fanfic universe

_KathDMD_ – Thank you for liking our #KeithAndAllura. We hope to provide more depth to the fandom's favourite couple, portraying the strength in their relationship despite all the challenges, showing how they cope, and still manage to succeed.

_JustLucky05_ – Thank you for the encouraging words! We hope to provide the more nostalgic kind of fanfiction, like something you would possibly read a decade ago. The K/A fanfics back then had a very solid relationship. Keith and Allura are very strong individuals and as the story progresses, their level of intimacy, faithfulness and steadfastness in their relationship reflects the mature couple they are becoming.

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Thank you to all our readers. Our July 2013 backend stats were simply amazing. Thank you for taking time reading our very KA-indulgent fanfic.

Thank you to renlew, Autumnmissa, Striker Eureka and cammiemimi1 for following / adding us to your favourites.

Finally, thank you to AHLondonTX for insight on Keith and Allura's character development.

As you can see, Keith and Allura are very faithful to one another, and this fanfic is turning to be quite the novelty for newer generation of fanfic writers.

And with that, insert standard disclaimer clause we don't own anything for Voltron etc.; this is all for fun; we don't make/earn money out of writing Voltron fanfiction; It's all purely recreational!

Herewith is,

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**CHAPTER SIX**

"Good morning, Coran."

"Ah, Your Royal Highness, good evening to you on Arus." _The Princess is burning the midnight oil again… or I wonder if it's something else?_ "How may I help you today?"

"There are two things I need to discuss with you. Firstly, I spoke to my father this afternoon. And secondly, it's about Keith. We found out a few days ago that his family is from Arus."

Coran simply nodded.

"You knew as well?" Allura asked with a raised brow.

"Yes, Princess. Where is the commander now?" Coran asked with amused eyes.

"He's still going through the holo-documents he received from Governor Mataso."

"Ah, good old Mat. How is he doing these days?"

"He hasn't aged a day since we last saw him five years ago." Allura smiled but the brightness didn't touch her eyes. "Coran, the reason I called you is to discuss the matter of the crown of the Royal House of Arus, if this news changes anything," Allura asked in a rather business-like tone.

"Is it 'congratulations' then, Your Highness?"

"No, Coran." Her tone was too abrupt as she pressed her lips into a thin line. "He wants Arus safe first, for us…for me."

"I understand."

"I just want confirmation, Coran, not approval."

"Whatever you two signed in the pre-nuptial agreement before Black Lion was confiscated still stands, Your Highness, regardless of whether Keith is Arusian or not," Coran replied.

"I see. But what if I were to relinquish my role as pilot of the Blue Lion, and serve my people in a full-time capacity as Queen? Hypothetically, of course?"

"Your Highness, since you are betrothed to Commander Keith, it is simply just a matter of _when_ you and he will be wed, even if it is at a time of his choosing."

"But…"

"…Princess, the pre-nuptial agreement gave you and Keith amazing leeway for a future that was unforeseen. If you feel that you need to let go of your role as Voltron Force pilot in order to preside over Arus' affairs on a full-time basis, then so be it. That decision rests in your hands."

"I understand, Coran. That is all I needed to hear."

"Then let me know of your decision, and I shall clear my schedule for you, to preside over your coronation."

"I don't want a ceremony, Coran. We don't want to draw attention to ourselves. Keith would agree with me." Allura cringed inwardly. "Wade is still out there, and so is Lotor. Please, I would like to do away with the traditional pomp and circumstance. And that's not a request." Allura concluded.

"Yes, yes, I understand…ceremony … Your Highness." Coran said distractedly. "My apologies, Your Highness, it looks like I have an extremely urgent call on the other line. Please excuse me…" Coran said abruptly with mischief twinkling in his old eyes.

"Coran, didn't you hear me? I refuse to have an elaborate ceremony…" Allura tried to reiterate, but the call suddenly ended. _Did he just cut me off?_ Allura pinched the bridge of her nose and tried to calm herself. Things were just not going her way lately.

vvvvVvvvvVvvvv

Coran wasn't surprised that the incoming call that had grabbed his attention was from the commander of the Voltron Force. _Looks like I need to play Cupid for these two again._ He chuckled to himself and apologetically ended his holo-discussion with Allura. Coran cleared his throat and put on his best business-like face for his future king.

"Good evening, Commander Kogane."

"Please, Coran, you can drop the formalities…" Keith flinched.

"To what do I owe the honour of your call, Keith?" Coran smiled. _He'll have to get used to formal titles sooner or later._

"Coran, I just learnt my family is from Arus, and judging by your association with the governors, the empaths and the prophecy, I'd say you knew about it too."

"Yes, Keith. Your father Kenneth, your uncle Kensan and I, not to mention Wade, are from the same batch of graduates from the Academy."

Keith nodded. He knew Coran and Wade were schoolmates during their Academy days, but finding out that his father and uncle had also attended the Academy was a surprise to him.

"Allura and I just had a talk an hour ago..." Keith paused. He needed to get this off his chest and confer with Allura's former guardian. "Apparently King Alfor suggested that she become Queen."

"And what are your thoughts on this?"

"As commander of the Voltron Force, I need to protect both Arus and Allura. Wade is still out there, as is Lotor."

"I completely understand where you're coming from, Keith. Yet indeed, it is an honour to hold both the responsibility of commander and a betrothal to Her Royal Highness."

"I need to ask you if Allura can ascend to the throne first."

"Why, of course she can, commander."

"She doesn't need to be married to be Queen?" Keith raised an eyebrow.

"You are her intended, her betrothed. It is simply a matter of time for you both to wed, Queen or not."

"So, we're good, then?"

"Yes, except for one small detail." Coran said.

"And what is that?"

"Coronation."

"I see…" Keith paused. "Knowing Allura, she doesn't want anything grand," he explained, hoping to reach some sort of compromise. "Whatever Allura wants, is what I want too. As her protector, I would prefer to keep it low-key. If word got out, we'd have half the Drule army at the castle's doorstep."

"I understand, Keith."

"Allura's safety comes first."

"Indeed, Commander," Coran agreed, his voice filled with utmost respect and pride.

"We'll keep you posted on any developments, so you can clear your schedule."

"Thank you, Keith."

"Thank you, Honourable President." Keith signed off the holo-visual communicator and sank into the couch with a loud sigh. He dimmed the lights in his office and stared out to the floor-to-ceiling windows. The clouds had cleared and the stars shone brightly in the midnight sky.

He rubbed his forehead and closed his eyes, thinking back to what had occurred today. So much had been revealed in such a brief amount of time, and he had yet to speak with his uncle Ken.

Keith had always considered his uncle the ultimate believer of empirical, concrete and tangible data and information analyses, but all this talk of destiny and fate always came up in their discussions.

With the revelation of his true ancestry, all Keith's perceptions were now coloured differently. Indeed, his entire world was changing around him, and his parents' video message was the kick in the bottom he'd desperately needed to come to terms with that knowledge.

Keith leaned back in the couch and stared at the ceiling, and from the million half-formed questions swirling in his head, one big one elbowed its way into the fore.

THE question.

It finally dawned on him what Allura was trying to say earlier. She wanted him to ask _the_ question. Raking his hands through his unruly hair, he imagined Allura teasing him yet again, for being so incredibly dense when it came to their relationship. He exhaled loudly through pursed lips.

_Shit._

_I am such an idiot._

_Allura…_

Checking the time, he decided to go find her. He had a gut feeling she would be in her office.

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She only had a few more items to finish, but her eyelids felt so heavy.

Holo-documents were far less tedious to handle than physical paper ones, but they still needed attention, and adding her approvals and signatures to each one was incredibly wearisome. Allura leaned forward onto her desk and rested her head in the crook of her left arm. She drifted off, imagining she was signing the best document in the entire galaxy: her marriage certificate, where it would read Mrs Allura Raimon Kogane.

In the comfort of her imaginings and visions, Keith's gentle touch and calming voice caressed her senses, and his presence soothed her. In her mind, he spoke to her_. _

_:: I will not leave you. I will always be there for you and I shall always protect you, my love. ::_

She was exhausted. It had been a long day, not to mention an onerous journey for both of them all these years. She felt they were nearly there – that place of quiet bliss and comfort, of dreams of children and joyous celebration. They were nearly there, but not quite yet.

_:: When?::_ she spoke to him in her mind_. :: When will I be truly yours? When will you be mine forever? ::_

_:: I've always been yours::_ He tenderly ran his hand over her cheek.

"I'm so tired…" she whispered, tears threatening to fall. She dared not open her eyes. She did not want this feeling…this dream… to end.

"I know, sweetheart." He gave her a gentle squeeze.

She felt weightless, carried in his strong arms, such a beautiful trance beckoning her to indulge her senses. She breathed him in, and sensed a whiff of a room that was not hers. She whimpered when he let go, as he gently laid her down. She was in his sanctum, on his bed surrounded by his pillows, cocooned in everything Keith, and to Allura it was the safest place in the world. Her heart and soul ached for him. Her body yearned for his touch.

Her boots were pulled off her feet, landing with a soft thud on the floor. She felt his hand glide across her cheek as the mattress shifted with his weight. Her arm felt lighter as her voltcom was gently removed. With a slight tug on the zipper at her sternum, her pilot suit slowly opened to her navel. She felt her arms being extricated from the sleeves, and the suit being gently eased over her hips and off her legs. The air was cool on her skin as she lay in her undergarments.

Warm fingers touched her forehead as her blue-stoned circlet of office was gently lifted away. The very same circlet she wore on the day the prophecy was revealed to them, only a few months before their world had been turned upside down.

As Keith placed her circlet on the bedside table, his fingers gliding on the smooth blue gem, a cool white awareness pulsed in his head. In that a fraction of a moment, a wave of calm thoughts filled with love, family and children's laughter entered his mind and warmed his heart. He felt a swell of emotion in his chest as he pulled the bedcovers over his slumbering princess. Was it just his imagination or did Allura just smile in her sleep? She rolled on her side and snuggled his pillow.

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Keith emerged from the en-suite bathroom in his shorts, drying his unruly hair with a towel. He looked over to the bed and saw Allura lying in the same position he'd left her, snoring faintly with her arms around his pillow and a look of complete serenity on her face.

He smiled, sliding under the bedcovers to join her. Nestling against her, with her back against his bare chest, Keith softly caressed her arm and kissed the back of her neck. His heart reached out to her with words of apology, of hope and of promise.

_I'm sorry I pushed you away, Allura. You've always been mine, as I have always been yours. Trust me, my love. Do what you feel you need to do; I am here no matter what you decide. _

His lips brushed her earlobe as he whispered, "Tonight, I just want to hold you close to my heart and keep you safe." He slid his arm under her neck, resting her head in the hollow of his shoulder, and wrapped his other arm around her, encircling her in a protective embrace.

It had been a long time since he had last done this. The overwhelming need to keep Allura safe and protected had never left him; but the tender and caring Keith had all but disappeared during their search for Black Lion. When the cadets had arrived, they had all come together as a team on full throttle, battling two sets of enemies. Keith and Allura had forgotten themselves in the madness and chaos, and the love they had nurtured so long ago was set aside.

Tonight, cuddled in Keith's embrace, Allura slept more tranquilly than she'd had in years. Lulled by their togetherness, she drifted into deeper slumber with Keith's voice in her head. Their joint psychic and telepathic awareness was slowly reawakening.

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Arus. It was his world now. In the new light of dawn, he felt refreshed after having one of the best sleeps he'd had in a long, long time. Allura's presence was always a balm, able to soothe all his troubles away.

Arus called to him. He'd felt it when he first set foot on her soil a lifetime ago, a strange sense of welcoming, of belonging. Keith finally realised he now truly had a home in every sense of the word. His past and his future all belonged to Arus, and to the woman with whom he was predestined to share his life.

As he'd completed his perusal of the encrypted information last night, a deep fog in his mind had lifted, and he finally understood what Allura was trying to ask of him. He could see the light at the end of the tunnel. He saw Allura's visions and dreams of children, and the joyous celebration of Arus, and it was then that he realised he could sense her again. Their psychic and telepathic bond had been rekindled.

He realised that his accumulated frustration and anger, when their search for Black had dragged on for years, had suddenly come to a point where all his negative emotions had blocked Allura from reaching out to him completely.

This unexpected turn of events, the revelation that he was Arusian, was the lone pebble that had slowly gained momentum within him, starting the landslide that culminated in his reconnection with the woman he loved.

With a long, tender gaze at the beautiful sleeping woman beside him, he sent a wave of calm and love, of hope and promise to his betrothed. _ Patience, my love. We're nearly there. Trust me. I love you, my Allura._

He quietly dressed and left the room. He needed to speak with Black Lion about his predecessors.

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(To be Continued...)


	8. Chapter 7

Authors' Notes

Thank you for reviews Autumnmissa, JustLucky05, bknbu, wade wells, KathDMD, FroofyB and dancingwind17.

Thank you BlackLion33 and for following / fave-ing our fanfic

We forgot to mention that Keith will share the holo-documents and holo-video message with Allura… eventually. *chuckles* Only the Commander will know when the time is right. *wink*

We are glad you're enjoying our very sweet and romantic take of 'filling-in-the-gaps-between-episodes' with regards to KeithAndAllura's point of view (The cadets already had way too much screen time, so let the grown-up Voltron Force couple have their bit of fun, at least here in our fanfiction universe)

Upcoming chapters are already typed up where you'll see more of the entire Voltron Force helping / nudging Keith and Allura towards the right direction *cheeky grin*. Also, more sugary sweet stuff / fluff coming up by Chapter Eight.

In the meantime, enjoy our take on Voltron Force episode "Roots of Evil" where you will spot familiar (per verbatim) dialogue from said episode.

Insert standard disclaimer clause we don't own anything Voltron or Voltron Force. WEP does, they own the whole kit and caboodle.

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**CHAPTER SEVEN**

Allura paused in the wide green meadow, bending to pick a handful of the blue carnations scattered across the landscape. A warm comforting breeze caressed her naked flesh and stirred the knee-high grass that stretched from horizon to horizon. A few faraway dark clouds dotted the pale sky, but Allura ignored them as she spotted Keith walking toward her in the distance with a smile on his face. She could see he had taken the top of his pilot suit off, and it hung from his waist with the sleeves trailing behind in the grass.

She took a long sniff of the bouquet in her hands as she admired his well-muscled torso. Her bare skin tingled at the sight and she quickly moved to meet him, her golden hair floating weightless behind her. Allura felt joyous and wild, caring not one whit about her state of undress.

Finally they drew close, and Keith seemed to glow as he stared into her eyes.

"Hey," he said simply, with the smile he reserved just for her.

"Hey…" she replied, and as she spoke she felt a sudden jolt and a rush of disorientation.

"…yourself…" Allura finished as her eyes fluttered open. Keith, the meadow, the flowers, they were all gone. She was lying in bed, looking up at the ceiling._ Oh noooo… Just a dream…_ she moaned to herself, rolling over and pressing her face into the pillow with a frustrated chuckle.

_The pillow… it smells like Keith…_ She sat up with a start, suddenly realising that she was not in her own bedroom.

Then she remembered being carried here last night. She'd thought it was part of the dream, but now she knew it had felt all too real. His embrace, his hard body against hers and his intoxicating masculine scent; it was all too vivid.

With a rush of heat colouring her cheeks, she realised she was in her underclothes. Her heart pounded at the thought as she pulled the bedcovers aside. Suppressing a smile, she filled her mind with him, whispering his name.

_Keith…_

A sudden wave of warm energy enveloped her. Was he finally reaching out to her? She wondered why he didn't even wake her up for Lion manoeuvres. She checked her voltcom and a queued message from Keith sprung to life: "No training this morning."

Allura walked through the connecting passageway to her bedroom and went straight to her en-suite bath. She blushed when she realised that although she had lain in bed with Keith, wearing next to nothing, he had simply held her in a respectful warm embrace.

Had she been expecting something else? Her thoughts began to reel southward. Why didn't he take advantage of her last night? Was she feeling frustrated that Keith insisted on treating her with such reverence and respect? Flustered, she eventually admitted to herself that she missed their constant intimacy and fervid sexual connection.

As she stepped into the shower stall, her thoughts lingered on how their relationship had been since getting Black Lion back. Having the cadets around made her and Keith behave like surrogate parents as well as role models. Without any prior discussion, they had suddenly found themselves acting more responsibly and setting a good example to the younger generation.

Allura undeniably missed their mischievous stolen moments along the corridors of the old castle. Even now, despite having adjoining rooms, they had been too busy to keep that private passageway open all the time. He would often take patrol duty or night shifts at Castle Control, and she would be teaching the cadets first period class. The only times they would actually meet up was for emergencies due to Drule or Wade attacks.

Thinking back, Allura was glad for their visit to planet Dradin.

It seemed that the farther they were from Arus, the more their formal roles faded into the background. She remembered Keith had given her _that_ look, the one that meant he would make time to spend with her. Their poolside plans were about to become bedside plans, but unfortunately their friend Manset had almost ruined their little getaway with the consequences of his smuggling activities, and they'd had to bail him out.

After all the dust and chaos had settled, Manset was keen to show his gratitude to the Voltron Force and took them to another of his resort properties on Dradin, putting up the entire team, including the cadets, in an exclusive section of his eleven-star hotel suites, the highest luxury rating in the galaxy.

In an even bigger stroke of luck for Keith and Allura, the rest of the Voltron Force and the cadets had been eager to experience the sights and sounds of Dradin rather than be cooped up in a hotel room, no matter how luxurious. By the end of the weekend, Keith's cheeky grin said it all.

Without the prying eyes of the team, without the heavy burden of managing a planet, even for just a single night, the roles of princess and commander fell away. Here, they were simply Allura and Keith, a couple with possibly the longest engagement in Arusian history, still madly in love with each other. Making up for lost time, they made every moment count, relishing the intimacy and enjoying their blissful sensuous togetherness until it was time to go back home.

They had barely slept on their last night on Dradin, and fortunately the circles under Allura's eyes went unnoticed by the team as they were too busy recounting their non-stop shopping and gaming adventures.

Keith however was very, _very_ relaxed and laid back. He had even accepted her dare to sport a pair of dark sunnies, and keep Black Lion's custom flame job as well as the fluffy dice in his lion cockpit for an extra day.

_Ah, to be young and in love indeed!_

But now, everything seemed to have shifted. She suddenly felt far older than her age of twenty-six. Her duty to Arus beckoned her like a throbbing, pulsing migraine. Why did it feel like she was slowly being torn apart from the inside? What was Arus telling her?

Emerging from the shower, she dressed quickly and walked down to the main hall, just outside Castle Control.

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She stood at the bottom of the steps, gazing wistfully at the centrepiece painting. The larger-than-life oil canvas was not only a reminder that the greatest king in Arusian history was her very own father, but also served as the hidden entrance to Castle Control, the nerve centre of the Castle of Lions and Voltron Force operations.

Allura felt torn between what the painting represented and what it concealed behind it. Both the mantle of royal responsibility and her vital role as Blue Lion pilot weighed heavily in her heart and mind, tugging her in conflicting directions, and smack in the middle stood her beloved, the commander of the Voltron Force and soon-to-be King of Arus.

Of noble Arusian lineage, with the blood of Black Lion pilots running through his veins, Keith remained reluctant to ascend to the throne with her until he was unshakably sure that their reign would be a peaceful one. The years of conflict and strife had instilled that need within him. Allura understood, and part of her felt she was being selfish for asking this of him.

Her thoughts led her to ponder about the People's Forum earlier, when she had to abruptly leave a farmer as he attempted to discuss his concerns. What could she possibly do to rectify the situation? Her crossed arms echoed her worry, frustration, and indecisiveness as she stared at the painting of her father. Lost in thought, she didn't notice her niece Larmina parking a squeaky food cart beside her to offer her breakfast.

_Breakfast! _Allura had been so busy ruminating that she'd completely forgotten. _I don't think_ _Keith would like that at all._

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Looking up at Black Lion, Keith laid a hand on its warm metal paw in greeting. It was a known mystical fact that the lions chose their pilots, and he had been surprised to learn that Black had chosen him over his father Kenneth.

Bonding with their lions was important to the members of the Voltron Force. It had especially helped Keith, despite the vastness of space, to home in on Black when Herbert Wade had hidden the robot lion all across the galaxy.

Keith took a cleansing breath and stretched his thoughts out to Black. _I just found out about you and my father Kenneth._

Black Lion lowered its head to him and rumbled a low metallic purr. In its own lion-speak, which was a mix of thought, imagery, and minimal speech, Black told him that Kenneth's destiny had lain somewhere else.

His father Kenneth was the one who had set up the network of contacts across the galaxy, a network that would eventually become the Den Resistance. The contacts were essential in fulfilling other missions he had to take for the GA Intel Branch. That was why Kenneth was barely home when Keith was growing up, and why the Resistance always seemed to be expecting Keith's arrival during the long search for Black. Keith's inherent skills in strategy, stealth, and black ops training proved most useful to the Head of Intelligence, his very own uncle Ken. Keith had the uncanny ability to disguise himself and sneak past the stuffy noses of GA military brass. It was because of Keith that GA Intelligence had gotten a whiff of Commander Kala and the impending Drule threat.

What Keith had failed to discover in time was Maahox and his occult science experiments with Haggarium that had led to the reanimation of Keith's ultimate nemesis Lotor. The rebirth of the maniacal Drule king was the very reason for Keith's reluctance to join Allura on the throne. He would not feel at peace until Lotor's reign of terror had ended, and the best way to protect Arus and especially Allura was to continue his role as Voltron Force commander.

Keith wanted to give her a worthy wedding present: lasting peace for Arus and the entire galaxy. The thought of having a blissful worry-free reign as King and Queen of Arus was foremost on his mind as he left Black's spire hangar in search of Allura.

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Fate had just handed Allura a second chance to make things right with her agricultural constituent. Old Barmey had made his way into the castle's main hall just as Larmina was offering her aunt some breakfast, and he clearly needed an audience with the Princess.

Allura thought she could finally make things better this time around, and take time to listen to Barmey's concern. Her empath abilities enabled her to remember names, details, and bits of information. This gift, along with her compassionate empathic touch, easily won the hearts of her people, and a humble citizen like this farmer was heartened that his reigning monarch remembered his name.

She gave the man her full attention as he started to speak, but just then the castle was rocked by a powerful jolt. The ornate chandelier in the main hall creaked loudly and fell from the domed ceiling directly above their heads.

Allura's training kicked in and she instinctively pushed the farmer out of harm's way and lunged to the floor next to him, just as the huge lighting fixture shattered on the floor where they had been standing.

She was glad to see Larmina unhurt, and felt a surge of reassurance as Keith ran up to them. She could sense his relief at seeing her unscathed.

"Keith! Are we under attack?" Allura asked as she helped the old farmer to his feet.

Assessing the situation in a heartbeat, Keith knew that the damage had not been caused by weapons fire. He quickly informed Allura that it was a quake and they needed to begin rescue operations straightaway. Arus was his home planet now and he would do all in his power to help. "We need to get to the Lions," he urged her.

Allura reluctantly left Barmey in the care of her niece and ran after Keith to their launch chutes in Castle Control.

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Sundown was approaching and Allura paced her room apprehensively. After what had happened, after what she had done, she didn't know how Keith would react.

_I had a perfectly good reason for doing what I did. But was it the right thing to do, in his eyes? Will he be angry? Will he shout?_

Allura sat heavily on her bed, recalling what had transpired earlier in the day.

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"We have a Stage One alert at the Chozzerai Dam," Keith notified the Voltron Force as they took to the air. The powerful aftershocks had weakened a section of the recently-completed structure and it had begun to leak, threatening to unleash the river on the farmland below. Keith assigned Lance and Hunk to handle the dam's repair while he, Allura and Pidge handled the rescue detail.

The operation was completed in short order, but Keith still had a gut feeling that something wasn't quite right and he ordered Pidge to analyse the source of the unusual tremors.

And true enough, Pidge and young Vince discovered something was indeed awry. They detected a powerful source of Haggarium underground, with long tendrils spreading outward.

The team mobilised again to investigate, but rather than use Yellow Lion to dig, Allura suggested they take the old tunnel system that the Arusians built during the Zarkonian Wars. She knew those tunnels all too well. She knew every turn and every cavern.

Keith felt a sudden tug of apprehension from the Blue Lion pilot. Allura, who had spent nearly ten years in these tunnels and caves, had not been back underground since Keith and the team had arrived on Arus and revived Voltron. Keith unconsciously kept his lion closer to Allura's Blue.

Venturing deeper into the tunnels, the Voltron Force finally came upon the epicentre of the quakes – a seething mass of what appeared to be tentacles laced with Haggarium.

Vince, in Green Lion's back seat, received a sudden vision from Daniel – he and Larmina were with old Barmey on his farm, under attack by a giant Haggarium tree – whose root system was now threatening the Lions.

Hearing the report, Allura felt a cold hand squeezing her insides. _Oh no… If only I'd given Barmey the time he deserved…_

Pidge continued to deliver his analysis of the quakes: the Haggarium roots were slowly making their way to the core of the planet and their dark energy would tear Arus apart.

Unfortunately, Pidge's technical and scientific analysis was delivered entirely without sensitivity or tact, and the unintentional impact of his words on the Princess was like salt on an open wound.

Whatever had been troubling Allura over the last couple of days began to boil over. The melancholy, confusion and frustration all swirled together into a toxic brew.

She fought back the rising despair and replaced it with a hard-edged resolve.

_Tear Arus apart? _After all the Voltron Force had gone through to defend and protect her planet? She cursed under her breath. She wanted to hurl a thousand expletives at whoever did this to her beloved Arus.

"Not on my watch! Not ever!" Allura said furiously. Seething with anger, she charged Blue towards the Haggarium roots and unleashed a blast of ice from her robot lion's tail.

Keith had never seen her like this. He and Allura may have had shouting matches in the past, but this felt different. No one else on the team uttered a word, not daring to mess with an enraged planetary monarch. Keith knew he was the only one who could deal with her in this state. With concern in his voice, he hailed her comm. "Allura, I haven't seen you charge like this before. Are you…"

Allura cut him off. "I'm fine, Keith."

_She's furious._ "Look, I know you've been feeling torn between…"

"Keith, I don't want to discuss it!" she cut him off again. It was not the time or place to bring it up, especially broadcasted on the comm for the whole team to hear.

"All right," Keith conceded. "But just know that every time you have made the right choice. Voltron needed you."

"That not the point!" Allura argued. "If I'd given that farmer the time he deserved, this never would've happened!" Her voice was full of guilt and remorse.

Despite her furious outburst, Allura knew the best location in the massive cave system to form Voltron and destroy the Haggarium-enriched tree. Breaking through to the surface, Voltron fought back the mutated tree, giving Lance an opportunity to pick up Daniel in Red Lion, and Allura to rescue Larmina in Blue.

Allura was glad to see her niece safe, but realised that the old farmer was still on the ground in harm's way.

Then it hit her. Once again, fate had given her one more chance to redeem herself in helping a fellow Arusian. "Third time lucky," the Terran saying went, and Allura grabbed the opportunity. She knew that this day would eventually come, which was why she had provided Larmina with the kind of training and education that she herself had only dreamed of, from martial arts to ancient languages that could help unlock the mysteries of Voltron. It was just a matter of time for Larmina to harness all the skills she had learned, and to apply them when needed, and this seemed a perfect chance for her niece to prove herself. Without a second thought, she switched places with Larmina and bolted out of Blue Lion to save old Barmey.

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_Well, what's done is done,_ Allura thought, rising to her feet. Trying to compose herself, she drew a deep breath, fully expecting the Voltron Force commander to storm into her quarters and demand an explanation. Instead, a taciturn Keith arrived with his second-in-command.

"I can't believe that you abandoned Blue to save that farmer." Keith said in a mildly reproachful tone as he crossed his arms.

"I'd let him down too many times. I wasn't going to do it again," she replied with a mixture of remorse and defiance.

Keith knew and felt her dilemma, as they had just argued about it the previous night, but Lance had no clue and was more critical of her transgression. "Allura, you can't help everyone. You can't be everywhere at once."

Allura turned to face him. "I know… which is why I have decided it's time for me to serve my people as…the Queen of Arus." She stressed the word "queen", not daring to look at Keith. She was not sure if she was ready to see his reaction. She closed her eyes and instead reached out with her thoughts, seeking some kind of approval and acceptance from her betrothed. _There, I finally said it! _

"But you can't be Queen as long as you're a member of the Voltron Force!" Lance replied incredulously, staring at her as if she'd just lost her marbles.

"And to fill your seat in the Blue Lion?" Keith calmly asked.

"I couldn't imagine anyone more ready." Allura proudly replied. She was amazed at how readily Keith accepted her decision, without qualm, without a word. She just wanted to throw her arms around him, right then and there. Did it mean that he too was ready to join her? Their eyes met as she sought his support, and he gave her a small nod and a knowing smile.

Unaware of their wordless exchange, Lance cleared his throat. "So… when do we do this?"

"Right now," Keith replied in his commander voice. "Everyone's still waiting downstairs at the main hall." Lance gave them a lopsided grin and briskly walked out ahead of his friends.

Proceeding out the door, Keith placed his hand at the small of Allura's back. He felt her shudder at his touch. Was he relieved at this turn of events? Knowing that Allura would no longer be in the Blue Lion, and therefore further away from danger?

"You seemed pleased with my decision," Allura said quietly as she sensed his thoughts. "To be honest, I was expecting a big argument from you," she admitted.

Keith leaned closer to her as they walked towards the elevator. "We'll talk about it later." His voice sounded like some dark delicious threat that left her tingling all over.

No one spoke as the elevator whisked them down to ground level. In the main hall, Lance gathered the rest of the team and motioned Larmina to approach her aunt.

Allura stood atop the raised platform in front of her father's painting. She swelled with pride as she turned her pilot duties over to her niece, inserting Blue Lion's key into Larmina's voltcom and, with a formal salute followed by a warm familial embrace, welcomed her to the Voltron Force.

Hunk offered a celebratory dinner of make-your-own Earth-style pizza, and with a chorus of cheers, they all headed off to commandeer the castle's main kitchen, leaving Keith and Allura behind.

Keith had looked on approvingly throughout the simple ceremony, and now he courteously stepped forward and held out his hand as Allura descended the steps.

"It's done," Allura sighed deeply as she accepted his proffered hand. Keith pulled her into his arms and held her tight. She shut her eyes and nuzzled his chest, breathing in his warm masculine scent.

"How are you feeling now?" Keith asked.

"It has yet to sink in," Allura said in a muffled voice. With the adrenaline rush leaving her body, she suddenly felt exhausted. She wrapped her arms around Keith's waist for support.

"We'll need to let Coran know," he said softly, stroking her golden hair.

"Mmmm…" Allura sighed again. Were they going to argue over this too? "I already told Coran I don't want a grand coronation." She looked up at Keith with pleading eyes.

_:: You deserve a ceremony at least, ::_ he replied wordlessly, touching his forehead to hers.

_:: No, I don't, :: _she said stubbornly. _::_ _I don't need any ceremony until you and I… ::_

She pulled back and stared at him, her jaw dropping open. _:: What… what did we just… I heard you…::_

Keith smiled as he gently stroked her cheek. He'd felt it last night, their connection slowly and eagerly unfurling.

Allura's expression changed from incredulity to one of pure mischief. _:: So, now you can hear me when I say I won't be needing my pilot uniform anymore... ::_

His lips turned into a slow, delicious smile releasing a low dangerous purr. His stormy turquoise eyes turned dark and intense.

_:: Don't look at me like that Kogane, you and I are not done yet with our discussion. ::_ Allura pouted as she tried to hide the bubbling excitement in her tummy.

Keith leaned forward, his lips brushing her ear. "Well, since I've already had prior experience at removing that pilot uniform of yours, I think this final privilege should be mine as well."

Staring into his lusty gaze, Allura lost her voice. Her insides clenched tight with his captivating promise. Then Keith let out a throaty laugh. "C'mon, I don't want to miss dinner." He kissed her forehead and took her hand to go follow the others.

Allura shook her head and let out an exasperated sigh, "You, sir, are incorrigible."

"I love you too."

(to be continued)

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Authors' End Notes

1) Every element in Allura's dream sequence has an imbedded meaning, if you're into dream interpretations *wink*

2) Some dialogue lifted verbatim from the Voltron Force episode "Roots of Evil"

3) "Sunnies" are sunglasses in Australian slang.

4) Chris noticed (cubbie didn't) that the name of the water dam is the same name of the love bridge in classic Voltron


	9. Chapter 8

Authors' Notes

Thank you to KathDMD, bknbu, dancingwind17, JustLucky05 and Guest for reviews.

Thank you selenitysaura for adding our fanfic to your list of favourites.

dancingwind17: Lance is fun to write when he's playing matchmaker to Keith and Allura. Try Water Babies and Fearless Part Three, you might see some bits for Lance's lovelife. We're hoping to represent / be the ultimate KAshippers for VoltronForce fanfiction *wink*

Previous chapters have been quite heavy and angst-y *heavy sigh*. However, as our story progresses / segues towards the next episode of Voltron Force Nicktoons version, we're happy to share *cough* warn *cough* you that we finally have a fun and fluffy chapter *wink*

So, relax and grab a pizza as we bring you,

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**CHAPTER EIGHT**

"You do realise that the next step is Allura's coronation as Queen," Lance said to the rest of the team as they prepared to make dinner at the castle's main kitchen.

"Ooh, and we can have a party too!" Larmina exclaimed as the cadets brought out the pizza ingredients from the walk-in pantry.

"I don't think your aunt's the partying kind," Hunk replied, washing his hands and clearing the polished granite countertop. He uncovered a large bowl containing the batch of dough he'd mixed earlier. It had risen and tripled in size.

Daniel and Vince eagerly observed as he took a fist-sized ball of pastry, dusted it with flour and nonchalantly pounded and twirled it into a flat pizza base.

"So what? We want a coronation and party!" Larmina retorted. "How about we surprise her instead?"

"She won't like it." Pidge warned as he helped lay the finished bases onto baking trays.

"Aunt Allura has no choice. I bet you an extra slice of pizza that Coran will back me up," Larmina exclaimed with confidence as Pidge passed the pizza bases to Vince.

"What about Keith?" Vince asked as he spread the pizza sauce with the back of a ladle and slid the trays over to Daniel, like an assembly line. "Maybe we should talk to him first before we decide things on our own."

"Maybe Keith can distract her while we prepare for the party," Daniel said with a mischievous look as he and Lance laid on the toppings.

"I don't know…" Pidge replied uncertainly as he and Larmina placed the finished pizzas in the industrial-sized oven.

"It'll work! I organised a massive galactic music festival; compared to that, this will be easy!" Larmina said confidently.

"What's easy?" a sweet musical voice asked from the kitchen doorway. Allura and Keith walked in to join the rest of the team for dinner.

"I was telling the cadets that making Earth pizza is easy!" Hunk smoothly replied.

"Good save," Lance whispered with a nudge.

"So, how's the pizza going?" Keith asked. The delectable aroma wafted around the kitchen, making everyone's mouths water.

"Just a few more minutes," Hunk replied, wiping down the countertop.

"What goes well with pizza?" Allura asked as she checked the chilled beverages in the glass-fronted fridges.

"Beer!" exclaimed Lance with a grin, and the cadets' eyes lit up.

"Lance," Allura admonished, shooting a warning glance at the Red Lion pilot.

"I meant ginger beer and root beer, Your Majesty," Lance made a mocking elaborate bow as he reached for the non-alcoholic beverages for the cadets. "And as for our future queen, herewith is your cellar's finest pinot noir," he continued, taking out a chilled bottle of wine with a dramatic flourish.

Keith brought out three wine glasses from a cupboard and Lance uncorked the bottle with practiced ease, generously pouring the deep red liquid into each glass.

With all the pizzas out of the oven and served in the middle of the counter, Lance cleared his throat and raised his wine glass, "A toast… to the new Blue Lion pilot!" Everyone raised their drinks.

"And to our new Queen!" Larmina added in quickly. Everyone cheered and toasted.

"Oh, this is sooo good!" Allura enthused between bites, still wondering why no one had ever told her how good Earth pizza was.

"So, Aunty… we _are_ having a coronation party, right?" Larmina asked her aunt with a wide exaggerated smile.

"We most certainly are not, Larmina. I will have nothing of the sort," Allura replied firmly, looking askance at her niece.

"So, are you and Keith getting hitched then?" Daniel asked matter-of-factly.

Keith suddenly choked on his pizza, and Allura patted his back with a wry look. Before either of them could reply, a holo-call came through the castle's com system, which Pidge promptly answered.

Coran appeared on the screen. "Ah, Voltron Force, Your Royal Highness."

"Good evening, Coran," Allura replied as she took a serviette and dabbed the pizza sauce from her lips.

"May I have a word with Your Highness in private?" he inquired. Allura transferred the holo-call to her voltcom.

"Coran, if this about a coronation ceremony…" Allura began as she walked out of the kitchen, heading to her office.

All eyes then turned to Keith.

"So, what now, chief?" Hunk bravely voiced the team's concern.

"Well, Coran insists that Allura needs a coronation," Keith said. The rest of the team discussed their suggestions for a party for their future queen.

Allura returned fifteen minutes later, silently fuming. She went straight for her glass and downed the remaining wine. Keith and Lance raised their brows and exchanged glances with Hunk and Pidge, but Allura quickly retorted before they could even chime in, "I don't want to talk about it."

Larmina nudged Pidge. "You owe me a slice of pizza," she hissed under her breath.

"Well, I better go," Hunk began, "the kitties need a thorough clean-up and these cadets are coming with me." Hunk began pushing the three cadets out of the kitchen as they waved good-bye. Pidge excused himself, as he needed to get to Castle Control. Their eyes twinkled as they left, knowing they had to complete their assigned tasks for Allura's surprise coronation.

"You know, you can't weasel your way out of this," Lance said as he refilled Allura's wine glass, then Keith's.

Allura's eyes narrowed and she gulped down half of her glass.

"Don't say 'no' straightaway, Allura," Keith said cautiously. "Just think about it for a few days." He took a sip of pinot noir, savouring the complex fruity taste in his mouth.

Allura stared into her wine glass, swirling the red liquid in contemplation. "I would rather think about something else…" she murmured, inhaling the tangy scent of her drink as her eyes lazily gazed at Keith.

Lance could only smirk. _What is with these two? Do I need to drag them to the altar? _ "I don't know about you guys, but I am due for a siesta from all the carb loading," he said, stretching his arms up and yawning loudly. He made a mocking salute at Keith before departing the kitchen, leaving the couple alone.

vvvvVvvvvVvvvv

They'd waved the kitchen staff away, insisting on tidying up themselves. Spending time doing something so mundane helped them focus on each other instead of on the larger problems that often threatened to overwhelm them.

The kitchen finally clean, Keith and Allura strolled quietly hand-in-hand to the elevator. Allura was lost in thought during the ride up to their quarters, prompting Keith to break the silence. "How would you want to celebrate your coronation?" he asked as he gently squeezed her hand.

"Huh?" Allura looked at him, snapping out of her reverie. "… I actually haven't thought about it much," she replied as they stepped out of the elevator. _I want a jointly-held coronation with you. _

"So what did Coran say?" Keith keyed the access code to Allura's quarters.

"He insisted on some kind of ceremony, no matter how small," she said in a defeated tone as they entered her room. Allura dragged herself towards a nearby chaise lounge and plopped down into its plush cushions. She leaned her head back on its scroll-like backrest, feeling completely drained after the day's events.

Her royal circlet felt cool against her skin, and she lifted it off her head. With tired eyes she gazed at the blue gem, tracing its shape with a fingertip.

It seemed a lifetime ago when this very same circlet was entrusted to her, on those islands at the farthest reaches of Arus, starting their prophetic journey whose end was not yet in sight.

So absorbed was she in her thoughts that she didn't realise Keith was watching her intently.

He approached her and gently took her hand that held the royal circlet. As his fingers touched hers and wrapped around the blue gemstone, a sudden rush of energy and flashes of images filled his mind, visions of joyous children surrounding him. Startled, Keith jerked his hand away.

Flushed and equally surprised, Allura sat bolt upright. "Did you just… did you… see that?" she asked in a breathless whisper. Suddenly embarrassed, she dropped her hands to her lap and looked down at the circlet she still held. Did he feel her yearning? Allura could not bring herself to look at Keith.

"Have you been seeing visions again?" he asked gently, sitting next to her.

"Only this one," Allura admitted, and stole a glance at Keith. "What did you see?"

Keith lifted her face to gaze into her eyes. "I saw children, lots of them, laughing and playing." His lips curved into a slow, heart-stopping smile.

Suddenly hyperaware of his closeness, Allura's breath caught in her throat. "Keith… I…" She felt a thousand butterflies beating their wings inside her.

They had not shared any visions for a long time, and to have Keith see one now was simply breathtaking. She could no longer hold back the emotion swelling within her heart. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. "Oh, Keith…" she whispered, burying her face in his shoulder.

Keith relaxed and pulled her into his lap. He held her close, stroking her golden hair.

She felt all her anxieties and apprehensions melting away. Over the last several days she had bottled everything up inside herself, and now that Keith held her in a tight embrace, her wall of self-preservation crumbled. She finally allowed the tears to spill over, and her body trembled as she wept.

Allura's world was about to change again and she needed him. As queen, how would their relationship pan out? He was her anchor. Surely, he would not leave her, unlike the last time when their world turned upside down.

"I'm here, love," Keith whispered in his deep soothing voice, as he sensed her worries building up inside her again. He kissed the top of her head and gave her a reassuring squeeze.

He couldn't help but chuckle as she snuffled a reply in such an un-princess-like manner. She felt soft and warm, and he savoured her lush floral scent as her body tantalisingly moulded into his.

The minutes slowly ticked by as they sat entwined in companionate silence, and soon Allura relaxed. "Feel better?" Keith asked softly.

"Thank you…" she sniffed as she lifted her face from his shoulder. "…I needed that."

Keith held her face in his hands and looked her straight in the eye. "I love you," he said slowly and clearly, showing the depth of his feelings for her in those three words. After last night's holo-message from his parents, Keith consciously set aside all his peripheral worries, and focused on the woman he loved.

"No matter what happens, I will always be here with you," he reassured her. He wanted to tell her everything he'd learnt from the holo-documents, but it seemed now was not yet the right time. Within the space of a few days, both their worlds had suddenly been rocked by events that would change their future, and right now all he wanted was to hold her close and cherish their togetherness, something that had lately fallen by the wayside. Right now, only the moment mattered.

"I know. Thank you…for loving me back," Allura replied, her cheeks ruddy and her quivering lips red from crying. Her thoughts flew back to that morning, waking up in his room, imagining what could have been. Her cheeks turned a deeper crimson.

Keith smiled as he sensed her thoughts. "You're silly," he teased, "…and so very beautiful." He caressed her cheek and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

She smiled at him then, a half-weepy, half- blissful smile. "Stop it, you," she said shyly, then dropped her gaze to his damp tear-stained shoulder. "I'm really sorry about your suit."

"I hope the snot washes out," he replied in consternation and, seeing her jaw drop in dismay, started to laugh.

Allura stared at him for a second with her mouth hanging open, then began to giggle as well. "You're terrible, Kogane!" she scolded, smacking him playfully on the chest. Keith wrapped his arms around her again and she sighed in contentment.

"You know you're gonna need a whole new wardrobe," Keith said softly as he touched his forehead to hers.

"It hadn't crossed my mind yet, to be honest," she replied, gazing into his vivid turquoise blue eyes that stared intensely back at her.

"And more importantly, you won't be needing your pilot uniform anymore," Keith whispered as he nibbled her earlobe.

"I don't, do I?" she breathed. Her heart was in her throat and she quivered at his sensual touch.

Had something happened when he read the holo-documents? For some strange reason, it was a completely different Keith that had met her back at the castle after defeating the Haggarium tree. She had fully expected to see an angry or frustrated Voltron commander, and not the compassionate, relaxed man who was holding her now. Her heart blossomed at the realisation.

Rising to her feet, Allura stood before Keith and bent forward to cup his face in her hands. Narrowing her eyes in mock suspicion, she uttered, "Who are you, and what have you done to my grumpy-pants Commander Kogane?"

"I believe Your Majesty is aware that I am no longer your commanding officer," Keith grinned as he lazily gazed back at her and ran his hands over the curve of her hips.

"Mmmm… even though I'm a bit tipsy, it would appear that you are right," she purred, moving to sit astride him. "Oh, and I'm not 'Your Majesty' yet, by the way." She wiggled in his lap and laid her arms on his shoulders, her fingers playing with the unruly hair at the back of his neck.

"So, right now we're just Keith and Allura," he stated, cupping her backside and nuzzling her jaw. "No formal roles, no rank, and definitely…" he paused as he nipped her graceful neck, "…no uniform." Keith found the zipper of her flight suit at the base of her throat, took it between his teeth and slowly pulled it halfway down her heaving chest. He could hear her panting softly between her parted lips.

"Looks like you don't need yours either," Allura said breathlessly, unzipping Keith's uniform with one hand and placing her other hand on his hard bare chest.

For this couple who had just reconnected and rediscovered their passion for each other, the night moved deliciously slow.

vvvvvVvvvvVvvvvv

Keith padded silently through the connecting door towards his room and answered his voltcom. The sun had just begun to peek over the distant hills.

"Kinda early, Lance."

"Good morning to you, too. Listen, make sure you keep Allura occupied. Have some food brought up to your rooms or something; just don't let her come downstairs. The team and I will be discussing the coronation party over breakfast."

"Have you spoken to Coran?" Keith asked as he opened a holographic console and scanned the morning menu.

"Yeah, but he has yet to figure out the safest place to bring Allura while we prep."

"Tell Coran to contact my Uncle Ken. He'll know," Keith said as he typed instructions for the kitchen staff to send two breakfast trays to their residences.

"Roger that, chief."

vvvvVvvvvVvvvv

She dreamt of children laughing and dancing to an old Arusian nursery rhyme. One of the children stood before her and asked "What do you want, Allura?"

Taken aback by the child's innocent and very simple question, Allura realised she did not have a ready answer.

_What do I want?_

The children clasped their hands together in a circle around her, singing and laughing. "What do you want, Allura?" they asked again, repeating the question several times in singsong.

"I… I want Keith. I need him," was Allura's earnest reply.

"But you already have Keith!" one of the children spoke. "What do you really want, Allura?" the children asked again, smiling and dancing around her. "Did you want… this?" An image appeared before her of a beautiful wedding ring, the same royal jewellery that had for generations been handed down from royal parent to the heir to the throne. Allura's eyes glistened.

"You need not wait too long," the children giggled. "Not long! Very soon, Allura!" they chorused.

Two children, a boy and a girl, left the circle and approached her. She knelt to look them in the eye, and they kissed her cheeks and whispered, "We'll see you soon, mum!"

Allura woke up with a start. She blinked hard, realising it was all a dream. Wrapping the warm heavy quilt more snugly around her bare bosom, she let out a longing sigh as she realised the bed beside her was empty. Allura was about to close her eyes again when she heard Keith's soft footfalls approaching through their connecting passageway. Her heart fluttered, knowing that he was still here and not downstairs in the control room or his private study.

She sat up as he came in, and stray locks of her golden hair lazily cascaded down over her face.

"Hello," she said softly.

Keith stood at the foot of her bed holding two breakfast trays. "Hungry?"

"Only for you," Allura dreamily gazed at her fiancé. Seeing Keith only in his boxer-briefs with his chiselled physique on display, she languidly stretched and sighed a lustful sigh.

"I know what you're thinking," Keith grinned as he set the trays on a sideboard and sat on the bed facing her. "You don't look so bad yourself."

With her half-open eyes, tousled hair and bare shoulders, he thought Allura looked breathtaking. She wasn't even aware how stunning she was, or how easily she could turn him on. She was the dream girl of every hot-blooded male in the galaxy, and she was completely his.

"How long did we sleep for?" she asked, unabashedly stretching her arms above her head.

"_You_ have slept luxuriously longer than usual," Keith replied, gently brushing the errant strands of hair from her face. "Yesterday was a big day, after all." He leaned forward and kissed her. They were actually spending the morning in each other's company instead of burying themselves in never-ending holo-paperwork.

"Mmmm… so, any plans today?" Allura asked.

"Probably," Keith replied with a hint of mischief. "By the way, I received a message from Coran that he needs to see you in a few hours. He needs help with some diplomatic negotiations."

"And so it begins," Allura sighed, rolling her eyes. She got out of bed and pulled a fresh singlet from her dresser. Keith watched as she put it on and hopped back into bed, activating a holo-display in front of her.

"Don't tell me you're working?" he asked with brows raised as he moved next to her and put a hand on her thigh.

"Like you said, I need a new wardrobe," she replied matter-of-factly as she comfortably leaned on him. "Especially if I'm going to a diplomatic meeting later. I don't have anything except my old pink pantsuit."

Allura opened a three-dimensional holo-file. "It probably needs a bit of an update," she thought aloud.

"Hmmm…" Keith nibbled her ear as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"You're distracting me," Allura giggled, shivering under his touch as she added design elements to the holo-image.

"You're my distraction," Keith said as he kissed her neck.

"And…_voila_! What do you think?" She enlarged the holo-image for a better view.

"Looks good," he replied approvingly, his hands languidly stroking her bare arms and shoulders.

"Want to have a look at your suit?" Allura asked as she sent the file for a three-dimensional print of her redesigned outfit to the Castle's housekeeping section. She then opened another holo-file.

"Go ahead, you're on a roll," he said teasingly, as he slowly trailed kisses from her shoulder to the nape of her neck.

"So are you," she replied breathlessly. A holo-image of Keith's old red jumpsuit appeared in front of them.

"Wow, that old thing?" he said in mock disdain, earning him a gentle smack on the thigh from Allura.

She added a few design elements and enlarged the holo-image. "So, what do you think?"

"Okay."

"Okay? Just like that? No arguments?" Surprised, Allura turned to look at Keith.

"If you like it, I like it," Keith shrugged. "What you want is what I want too."

"You know what I want." She moved up and sat astride Keith, running her hands through his hair.

"Tell me what you want, Allura." Keith locked his arms around her waist, his eyes intense.

"Keith… I…" Allura sighed. _This is it._ "…at the end of the day, I'm still just a girl who wants the whole fairy-tale romance: hearts, flowers, and… a proposal," she said quietly, her soft fingers tracing Keith's rough jaw.

"Then you'll have it," Keith said solemnly, his eyes serious.

"…When?" Allura's heart lurched.

"Her Majesty is too impatient," he teasingly smirked and rubbed his nose on hers.

Allura pouted and rolled her eyes.

"I'm detecting a hint of frustration and a smidgen of annoyance," Keith teased.

"I'll do what I want, sir. You're not my commanding officer anymore," Allura playfully replied.

"Really, now. Well, that just gives me free rein to do this," he grinned, and with his strong arms, Keith lifted Allura off his lap and pushed her down on the bed, pinning her with his body.

"Why are you spoiling me so?" she squealed, her voice quivering in anticipation as she stroked his chest.

"Shhhhh… You ask too many questions," Keith said, placing a finger on her lips. "I'm busy right now."

Breakfast would have to wait.

vvvvVvvvvVvvvv

(To Be Continued…)

Authors' Notes:

*evil chuckle* We wanted to maintain the T rating and decided to cut the explicit scene between #KeithAndAllura. We do have a particular Mature-rating version of this chapter, which if enticed, we could possibly post in an separate story as an Interlude or you can just use your own vivid imagination XD *evil mischievous laugh*


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